My friends have been telling me how Lyari gets transformed during FIFA world Cup for many years. I stayed away from the area due to my own misconceptions. I regret that now but still wonder wonder how it would have been during peak gang wars time which by the ways seems like a distant memory, […]

The Karachi Walla has just made new friends at Lakshmi Narayan Mandir and could not refuse an invite for Diwali, which is a much less attended and quieter experience compared to what it is at Shri Swami Narayan Mandir. It has its own charm though. We find Maharaj standing in the room where chief deities […]

Paper Market is a fantastic place. The market gets a different makeover throughout the year as we progress from one festival to another. Independence day is perhaps the busiest festival for the retailers at Paper Market. I entered the market from Shahrah-e-Liaquat. It was Sunday and the busy thoroughfare was void of regular traffic. However […]

There are several things that you can do on a Sunday morning in Karachi. Watching this group of artists painting heritage buildings around Pakistan Chowk is a topmost option. Saddar and rest of the old quarters have seen public spaces diminish over time. Parks have vanished and reading rooms vandalized. Old fashioned cafes have given […]

Originally published on Dawn.com Karachi is often termed as a dull city, sometimes even dangerous. In a city of 20 odd million, there is a dearth of public spaces and limited avenues for cultural activities. The much praised diversity has also come under scrutiny, with minorities migrating to greener pastures abroad and those staying back […]